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regard the saying as from the eleven and “them that were with them” (v. 33). Every one was full of the good news. The two disciples came to tell what they had seen, but before they could open their mouths, the eleven shouted, “The Lord is risen.” What a glorious occasion it must have been; despair turned into joy. 3. "Hath appeared to Simon” (v. 34). The time and place of this meeting is not told, but Paul undoubtedly re fers to it in 1 Corinthians 15:5: “He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.” Thus it appears that this was an early appearance, and apparently to Peter alone. Why such an appear ance? There is but one answer—the tender grace of our Lord. Remember what had transpired in the life of this disciple, how terribly he had fallen. Imagine-the despair in his heart dur ing the three days, perhaps feeling that never again couldTie be called a disciple. And now almost the first act of the risen Lord is to arrange a meet ing with Peter! We are not told what happened in that meeting. There are some things that must be settled with God alone, with no one present but the wandering sheep. But we do know that Peter came out of that meeting with the past all settled forever, henceforth to justify the new name given him by the Lord—a rock. 4. "How he was known of them In breaking of bread" (v. 35). The Greek reads “the breaking of the bread.” There is something very precious here. Admitting, of course, the d i v i n e agency in opening their eyes, it is still possible that there was something about the way in which He broke the bread that struck the chord of mem ory. What we call individual personal ity, after all,' includes the sum total of our mannerisms, our ways of act ing. And since our Lord was here in His resurrection body, we may learn that God is able to preserve and carry over beyond the grave all those precious marks which in our memo ries are associated forever with those we have loved and lost awhile. We shall know even as we are known. Golden Text Illustration L uke 24:48 An infidel Swiss artist was commis sioned to make a caricature of a Sal vation Army meeting in Sheffield. He went there on the e r r a n d , and scanned the faces of the people.. With his heart like the troubled sea that could not find rest, tossed and driven by tempests and passion, and tor mented by a conscience burdened by Sin, he looked on the assembled wor shipers and saw peace written on their countenances. The sight con vinced him of his sinfulness. He saw that those people had what he had not and what he needed, and their
Second, there came a new message to be delivered to all the world (v. 47). True repentance, with the promise of r e m i s s i o n of sins, was to be preached in His (Christ’s) name—no longer the name of Moses, or even of Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob. What these worthies had proclaimed and typified, as to Messiah’s sufferings, death, and rising again, the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled. The message was to begin at Jerusalem and spread abroad to all nations. Third, there came a new under standing of the place and practice of the disciples (v. 48). They were now to be “witnesses of these things.” What things? The death and the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth! The death would be valueless for salva tion without the resurrection. Apart from the resurrection, there is no way of knowing whether the sacrifice offered was sufficient to satisfy the full demands of God’s righteous judg ment, nor would there be any assur ance that the substitutionary work was fully accepted before the holy God. But with both the death and the resurrection accomplished, t h e r e comes full assurance that sin has been put away forever, and that the repentant sinner is fully accepted in God’s presence (cf. 1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:6). Points ond Problems 1. "Rose up the some hour, ond re turned to Jerusalem" (Lk. 24:33). The reference is to the “two” disciples who met the risen .Lord on their way • to Emmaus. One of these was Cleopas (v. 18), who has been identified by Lightfoot as Alphaeus the father of the Apostle James. The other is not named, but some have conjectured that it was Luke. These two disciples are a worthy example to all believers. Having seen the risen Christ, they lost no time in bearing their witness. 2. "Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon" (v. 34). Grammatically, it is not altogether certain just who said this, whether the two disciples or the eleven. It has been suggested that it was said by the two disciples, and therefore one of them must have been Simon. But this view is hardly tenable, for Peter was one' of the eleven. It is better to
THREE SACRED PIANO SOLOS WITH VARIATIONS “ There’s A Wideness In God’s Mercy” "Blessed Be the Fountain” "Safe In the Arms of Jesus” Classical arrangements. Each with an original introduction. Rich harmonies: Striking progres sions. Brilliant cadenzas. Chimes. Modulations. Minor and other effects. Figured for teaching. For Piano Solo: Prelude: Voluntary: Radio per formance. Each 85c. All three for $1.00, post paid. Order from GORDON B. HOOKER 858 So. Hope St. Los Angeles, Calif. Even when the two from Emmaus added their testimony, these disciples were loathe to believe them. n. T he R eality (3643) While the disciples were discussing the rumors, Jesus Himself suddenly appeared in their midst, saying, "Peace be unto you.” This salutation was exactly what they needed, but in the state of mind •which they had then, they imagined they saw a spirit and were terrified. They had forgotten the many times Jesus had promised that He would rise from the dead, and it was not easy to convince them that He was actually in their presence in t a body of flesh and bones. When the Word -of God is disbelieved, or perhaps just forgotten, men find it hard to accept the most convincing evidence of its truthfulness. To prove that It was no vision which they beheld, but a living body, the Lord Jesus invited them to handle Him, and thus through their physical senses to understand that He was in very truth risen from the dead. To further make them understand the reality of His presence with them, He asked whether they had anything to eat, and when they gave Him a piece of fish and some honey, He ate it be fore them all. They would know that a spirit would not and could not -eat material food as He was doing. Thus He convinced them, both through their senses and their reason, that He was truly risen from the dead as He had promised. III. T he R esults (44-48) First, there came a new understand ing of the Word of God (vs. 44-46). The disciples were reminded of the Lord’s teaching that all things written in the prophets must be fulfilled. The two primary truths contained in the Old Testament were the prophecies of the L o r d Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. These had been set forth repeatedly in symbol, type, prediction, and psalm. These disciples knew His death had been accomplished, and so they c o u l d k n o w also that the prophecies of His resurrection w e r e fulfilled. Their sorrow because of His death was turned into gladness, and they w e r e ready to understand the sacred writings.
BLACKBOARD LESSON
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